ACTIVE transport has received record levels of investment around Australia, as tourists look for more unique and personalised ways to explore the country.

Being already established, the Great Victorian Rail Trail has taken advantage of this boom, with events and businesses relying on the connectivity that the trail brings.

With increased traffic, safety becomes a pressing issue, with questions about how the trail and roads interact brought up again.

Early in 2022, Mansfield Shire Council, which is responsible for the trail within the Mansfield region, brought the trail in line with national safety standards as the tourism industry started to recover from COVID–19 induced downturns.

Senior Coordinator Engineering Services, Imad Khan said, "Council was notified of several accidents along the Mansfield Shire section of the Great Victorian Rail Trail where riders had difficulty navigating the transverse U–bars located at road crossings.

"The latest Austroads Standards do not require a transverse U–bar but do require a parallel U–bar/holding bar.

"Council removed 25 transverse U–bars and replaced them with a parallel U–bar at locations along the trail in January 2022.

"Council's Field Services team also installed two new parallel U–bars at Wilson Street in Bonnie Doon, where none were present.

"This was done to improve safety for riders on the Trail and to reduce congestion.

Ross Vaughan, a member of the Friends of the Great Victorian Rail Trail, said the removal of the transverse U–bars was a welcome improvement for accessibility along the trail.

"They cause more accidents than they solve because people are more focused on trying to navigate and negotiate the barrier instead of focusing on the obstacle ahead, which is what [transverse U–bars are] trying to solve," he said.

"They also were difficult for people who had an incumbent or tandem bike or someone towing a chariot with a young child or their equipment."

Mr Vaughan pointed out the parallel U–bars help cyclists, horse riders and runners slow down regardless of the removal of the transverse U–bars.

"As you cross a road, there is a gateway that you've got to navigate which indicates that you are coming up to a hazard or a roadway," he said.

He thinks that there is more to do to improve safety, especially at intersections where the trail crosses roads.

"At Withers Lane and the Midland Link Highway, the parallel U–bars have a [reflective] tape around them and are painted a bright colour.

"If there was an improvement we would suggest, it would be to do the same to the parallel U–bars on each of the road crossings [in Mansfield].

"I think there's a responsibility [to slow down and be cautious] from both riders or users and drivers."

The Friends of the Great Victorian Rail Trail have been working closely with council, placing submissions and recommendations to improve the quality of the trail for residents and visitors.

"The friends group can advocate for some improvements and enhancements," said Mr Vaughan.

"We are trying to help with road revegetation work and council has collaborated [with us].

"At the same time we try and help by doing a bit of promotion work.

"We see the asset is underutilised and try and increase that utilisation."